Capsuling machine



Allg'. 16, 1932. O. SgNDL 1,872,190

CAPSULING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l v Fig-.2 72 70 g 77 /70 rrr .fm "a rn 77 5 i@ if# un L A' &1

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Aug. 16, 1932. o. SINDL ,1,872,190

CAPSULING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1931 2 sneets-Shei 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED s 'rATlazs OFFICE or'ro srNDL, or. BEnIiIN, GERMANY cArsnL'ING MACHINE Application med July s, 1931, seriai no. 549,471, and in' Germani rune 7, 1930.

This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of hollow bodies by dipping molds into solutions of hlm-forming substances, wherein the molds are conveyed in a continuous movement from' the immersion point, through treatment baths and other treatment installations, back vto the immersion point again, whereupon the series of operations re-commences without interrup- By means of the apparatus according to the invention hollow bodies such as shrinkage capsules for capsuling bottles can be produced in a completely automatic and con- 35 tinuous manner withoutemploying human labour. f A

rIhre essence of the invention vconsists in the fact that .the immersion `molds, with their carriers, are movably connected insuch 29 a wayl that the immersion in baths and ktreatment installations and the withdrawal therefrom, and also the rotary vmovements of the molds necessary for the vuniform distribution of the immersion material, are effected in a 25 vertical planek parallel to the direction of forward movement, during the continuous forward movement of the carriers, by movements of the molds in relation to the carriers, for whichpurposes special guides for the molds are provided.

The object in view, namely the automatic raising and lowering ofthe molds and the rotation thereof during the forwardy movement of the carriers, necessitates the molds being movable in a vertical direction and at the same time rotatable in a verticalplane parallel tothe direction of forward movement. The molds must theretorebe arranged in relation to their carriers in such a way as to be movable in a two-fold sense. c

For the production of these two kinds of movement at least two separate guides are necessary, on the one handa guide for effecting the raising'and lowering in a vertical direction, and on the other hand a guide for erlecting rotation in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of forward movement of the carriers. n

4The apparatus as a whole thereforecomprises Y (l) guiding track `for the main carriers; f (2) thecarriers themselves, which move in the said track; l

.Y elements which are vertically movable on the carriers, and which, by co-operat- "56 ing with the guide pertaining thereto, are raised and 'loweredin consequence ofthe forward movement of the carriers (4) lrotatably karranged-on the'said vertilcally movable elements, the immediate carry- 60 ing elements of the molds, which, by cooperating with the guidev pertaining thereto, are rotated in such a way that the'molds revolve in a. vertical plane parallel to the forward linovement .of the carriers;l

(5) the molds the1nselves,which rareimmovably `arranged on the last-mentioned elements. f lf .p

The vertically movable elements and thej mold-carrying elements are provided with suitable devices by meansof which their cooperation with; the guides isy accomplished, forinstance pins, rollers,'toothed Wheels or the rlike. f i Y ,Y

One constructional example of the invention is da'grammatic'ally illustratedfin the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1l 'is a cross section, and c l Figure12 a longitudinal section through'a. bottle-capsuling machine according tothe invention; f e

Figure3 is aview corresponding to Fig. 1, except that the carriage is diagrammatically simplifiedI therein, whereas the Vdriving means for the carriages is illustrated in cross section, and here consists of chains and gears;

Figure 4 shows alongitudinal sectional ellevationt through they carriage-transporting Figure-ais ahorizontal section through thextransporting plant, and v j Figure 6 is a diagrammaticview of the cutting device for the hollow bodies.

The main carrier or girder 1 is constructed as a carriage, which runs by means of'wheels between rails2 and 3, which are mounted on supporting columns 30. .The movement of the carriers may be obtained in any convenient manner, preferably by means of chains. In a single immersion installation any de- 55, Shortly after this the carriage arrives at a sired number of such carriages may run close behind one another according to the length of the track. Their distance apart is dependent upon the length of the dipping molds, which of course should not touch those of the adjacent carriages during rotation. Each carriage is provided with two bushes 4, through which vertical holes are bored, in each of which a pin or journal 5 is movable. These journals are connected with one another at their upper ends by means of a cross bar 12, which is provided on each end with a roller 9, these rollers ruiming upon guiding rails, which are provided 'with hills 10 and dales 11.- At its lower'end each journal'carries a bearing 8 for thereception of a shaft 7, to which is secured a cross bar 6, reinforced by ribs. The cross bar 6 carries a detachable mold ledge 13, to which the molds 14 are secured in a single row. To both ends of the shaft 7 are fitted toothed wheels 18, which areadapted to roll upon guiding racks 19 arranged at the sides of the track, whereby the shaft 7, together with themolds 14, is set in rotation. The racks 19 are interrupted at suitable positions 20, whereby the result is obtainedtha-t the rotary movement of the molds is temporarily discontinued. In order that the molds may be able to come toa standstill in any position. resilient detents are provided.

The method of operation of the apparatus is substantially as follows VThe. carriages run upon the track rail 2 throughout the entire plant. The carriage 1, in Figure 2, is coming out of thecleaning plant 17. The-guidingrollers9l are running upon the hill portion 10 of the upper guiding rails. As the carriage advances inthe direction-of the arrow, the rollers arrive at the valley part 11 of the-rails... The journal V5, together with the parts connected with it,

is thereby lowered in such a way that the molds dip into a bath 16 containing'the immersion material. Afterv a short time the journal rises again, and the excess immersion material can. run ofli.' The carriage 'nw comesinto the. region of the racks 19, upon which the toothed wheel`s18 roll, Vas a result of which the molds 'are set in rotation.V At the` point 2O the rotation of the molds .is interrupted. After repeated rotation on the succeedingpart of therack, themolds resume the position with their necks downwards.

point at which the guiding'rail descends. The molds are hereby lowered into a precipitating bath 15.. If the molds are 'to be introduced into other baths, or t0 be passed through any otherztreatment installations, such Vfor example as washing baths, cutting plant or strippingV pla-nt or cleaning bathsv for the molds, the means justdescribed for moving the molds may be brought into oper ation in the same or a similar'manner.

Various modifications of the apparatus are possible, which however do not affect the essence of the invention. Thus for example instead of the toothed wheels 18, friction wheels may be employed, the racks 19 being replaced by friction rails. Instead of providing the rollers 19 at the upper end of thef'journals 5 they might be provided on the shaft 7 beside the toothed. wheels 18. In this case of course the rails 10, 11 would also have to-be provided laterally of the racks 19, in such a way that the rails run at the same height as the racks at the turning positions.

rlhe apparat-us may be employed not only in the case of endlesI tracks, but in the case of tracks of all kinds. It is only necessary that the carriages should be accurately and reliably guided, and should always be parallel to one another, 'in order that the contemplated movements of the molds should be able to take place satisfactorily.

rEhe carriages 1 may be provided with guiding surfaces 21, which Vare connected with `one another likechains. The driving of the carriages is preferably Ieffected by means of chains 22, which engage with lugs on the guiding surfaces, and which are continuous. rThe chain formed by the guiding surfaces is driven by polygonal drums 32, which are rotatable about vertical axes in the semicircular portions of the track. The guiding surfaces thenbear accurately upon the surfaces of thepoiygonal drums. The chains 22 and` the drums 32 are. actuated by a common drive 25, 2-1, 23.

Upon the closed track, the molds mounted onthe carriages can be guided through all the treatment positions, through the immersion position, the precipitating baths, any washing baths, cutting devices, stripping devices, 'mold-washing and drying devices, mold-changing positions and the like, right back to the dipping position. The molds that have already been capped once may if desired be coated again after` the peeling or drying of the first coating, and for this purpose one or more additional dipping points may be included in the circuit.v rt one part of the track there may be arranged, preferably at the same level, knives 27 and pressure strips 28 resili'ently arranged in pairs, between which the coated molds are passed, the coatings upon the molds being' set in rotation by the pressure of the strips,

under the edge of a coating, and to strip the coating off the mold as the mold advances.

According to the new process, and its method of operation by means of the apparatus described, capsule-like structures and other bodies admit of being produced in uninterrupted operation at a high Working speed by the immersion process. The capacity of such plant is an average about six to eight times as great as'that of an immersion plant `of the construction hitherto used, and employs only about one-sixth to one-ei girth of labour, so that the structures, such as capsules for example, can be produced at less than half the cost hitherto involved.

By virtue of the mechanically automatic method of working, the process can easily be adapted by regulating the running and revolving speeds, and the solution draining distances, to dipping solutions of `different viscosities, and exceedingly uniform Vproducts can be obtained, independently of the varying attentiveness and skill of the workmen employed.

What I claim is l. In a machine for the manufacture'of capsules, an endless plane rail track, and a carriage movable upon this track, rods vertically displaceable in this carriage, shaft bearings on these rods, a shaft passing through these bearings, a cross bar mounted upon this shaft, a ledge on this cross bar adapted to carry capsule molds, means for vertically displacing the rods relatively to the carriage, and means for rota-ting the shaft in its bearings. n c Y 2. In a capsuling machine, an endless plane rail track, carriages movable upon this rail track, vertically bored bushes on these carriages, vertically displaceable rods passing through these bushes, the upper ends of the rods being connected by a cross bar, rollers on this cross bar, guiding rails arranged laterally with respect to the rail track, raised and lowered portions on these guiding rails, the rollers of the cross bar running upon these lateral guiding rails and being adapted to raise and lower the rods, shaft bearings at the lower ends of the rods, a shaft in these bearings, a cross bar on the shaft, a ledge on this cross bar adapted to carry capsule molds, toothed wheels mounted on the shaft outside the bearings, and racks arranged laterally with respect to ther rail track, the toothed wheels of the shaft being adapted to mesh with the racks and to set the shaft, with the molds, in rotation in such a way that the molds revolve in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the carriages.

3. In a capsuling machine, an endless plane rail track, carriages movable upon this rail track, vertically bored bushes on these carriages, vertically displaceable rods passing through these bushes, the upper ends of the thesefflateralguiding rails and being adapted to raise and lower the rods, shaft bearings at the 'lower'ends of the rods, a 4shaft in these bearings, a cross bar on the shaft, a ledge onthis cross jbarV adapted to carry capsule molds, friction-wheels mounted on the shaft 'outsidethe bearings, and friction rails arranged laterally' with respect to the rail track, the fricti'on'wheels of the shaft beinor adapted to roll upon the friction rails, an

toY set the shaft, with the molds, Yin rotation iii-such way that the'molds revolve in a vertical plane parallel 'to' the direction of movement of the carriages. Y j

'4. EIn a capsuling machine an endless plane rail track, carriages movable upon this rail track, 'vertically bored bushes on these carriages, vertically displaceable rods passing through these bushes, shaft bearings at the lower ends of they rods, `a shaft passing through these bearings, a cross bar on this shaft, a ledge carrying capsule molds on the cross bar, a toothed wheel keyed fast to the shaft outside the bearings at each end, a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft outside the bearings at each end, guiding rails arranged one on each side of the rail track, the said guiding rails having raised and lowered portions. adapted to raise and `lower the shaft provided with rollers, and laterally arranged racks, oney on each side of the rail track, adapted by the rolling of the toothed wheels secured to the shaft torotate the shaft with the molds, the racks being interrupted so as to occasion interruption in the rotating of the shaft.

5. In a capsuling machine an .endless plane rail track, carriages movable upon this track, capsule molds movable arranged on these carriages, means for vertically displacing the molds with respect to the carriages during the movement of the carriages along the track, means for rotating the molds in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the carriages, the rail track being in the form of arectangle with semicircular ends, and having two parallel rails, the carriages running upon the rail track having lateral guiding plates, and the guiding plates of the carriages being connected with one another likethe links of a chain, endless chains arranged one on each side of the track rails, lugs on the carriages adapted to be engaged for driving purposes by the chains, polygonal drums rotatable about vertical aXes at thecentres of curvature of the semicircular end portions of the rail track, the sides of the polygonal drums being adapted to serve as bearing surfaces for the guiding plates of the carriages, and common' driving means for the chains and drums.

6. In a capsuling machine an endlessplane rail track, carriages movable upon this track, capsule molds movably arranged on these carriages, means for vertically displacing the moldswith respect to the carriages during the movement of the carriages along the track, means for rotating the molds in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the carriages, the rail track loeingA in the form of arectanglewith semicircular ends, and resilient longitudinal bars? and knives arranged in such a manner that the forwardly travelling molds carrying capsules eachrun through between a. bar and a knife, which are adapted to set the capsule Y upon the mold in rotation and to cut the capsule. Y Y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

ING. OTTO SINDL. 

